Trump's controversial new policy explained as Selena Gomez breaks down in tears over his latest actions
After Selena Gomez shared a teary-eyed clip reacting to Donald Trump's controversial new restrictions on immigration, some fans of the actress have been wondering how exactly these policies could affect her Mexican-American family.
The latest legislation forms part of the Republican president's newly-announced plans to 'halt' all 'illegal entry' into the US as part of a 'complete restoration of America'.
Selena's emotional video
The Only Murders In The Building actress went viral yesterday (27 Jan) for sharing a now-deleted video of herself responding to a series of Trump's new executive orders - a handful of which surround immigration.
Gomez - who is a third-generation Mexican-American - broke down crying while discussing the new president's plans to deport millions of immigrants.
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"All my people are getting attacked, the children," she sobbed in the clip. "I don’t understand.
"I’m so sorry, I wish I could do something but I can’t. I don’t know what to do. I’ll try everything, I promise."
Though she later removed the video after facing a fair amount of backlash - including from one Republican politician who suggested she herself be deported - the clip has prompted many to wonder how Trump's new policy is likely affect families going forward.
Trump's new deportation policy explained
Prior to his inauguration speech last Monday (20 Jan), the 78-year-old stated he will embark on the 'largest deportation programme in history', claiming he will deport 'maybe as many as 20 million' people.
During his address, he also said: "We will begin the process of returning millions and millions of criminal aliens back to the places from which they came."
Who is being targeted for deportation?
The president said migrants accused of crimes will be the first targets of the policy, but that all migrants illegally on US soil could also be subject to deportation.
Collateral arrests
The policy also means that undocumented migrants who haven't been accused of any crime but were found near to people who have could also be arrested in a move known as 'collateral arrests'.
Trump's administration said deportations would begin 'very quickly', although it's likely he will need the help of Congress to provide extra funding to actually carry it all out.
What powers do law enforcement now have?
Trump has ordered the likes of the FBI, DEA, ATF, US Marshals and the Bureau of Prisons to trawl through their databases for information on undocumented migrants such as possible locations.
The president has also told federal officials to investigate any local authorities that get in the way of his new policies clamping down on immigration.
On top of that, the administration announced it was revoking a policy which prevented arrests at protected locations such as schools and churches.
Trump's other immigration policies
Refugee travel ban
Prior to his inauguration, Trump vowed to expand his most controversial immigration policies - including the ban on travel for refugees and travellers, particularly those coming from Muslim countries.
"We will seal our border and bring back the travel ban," he previously said. "Remember the famous travel ban? We didn’t take people from certain areas of the world. We're not taking them from infested countries."
Ending birthright citizenship
In another executive order, the POTUS also announced his intentions to end birthright citizenship for the children of undocumented immigrants.
As part of his controversial policy, Trump ruled that any child born in the US who doesn't have at least one parent who's a legal permanent resident will no longer be automatically extended US citizenship.
The current legal principle in place grants citizenship to anyone born in the States, regardless of their parents' citizenship - meaning everyone born on US soil immediately becomes a US citizen.
An update issued last week explained, however, that an injunction had blocked the executive order on birthright citizenship.
Outlining the dangers of Trump's plans, the Migration Policy Institute and Pennsylvania State University told press: "Ending birthright citizenship for US babies with two unauthorized immigrant parents would increase the existing unauthorized population by 4.7 million people by 2050."
A District Court Judge in Seattle also described the potential alteration to birthright citizenship as 'blatantly unconstitutional', preventing it from going into full force without facing immediate legal challenges.
A department spokesperson announced they look forward to 'presenting a full merits argument to the Court and to the American people'.
Trump's administration has since declared they'll 'obviously' 'vigorously defend' the latest ruling.
Halting 'all illegal entry' into US
During his inauguration address, the Republican announced his plans to 'halt' all 'illegal entry' into the States.
Another executive order suspended the entry of undocumented migrants to the US under any circumstances claiming that those who do make it to US soil 'are restricted from invoking' provisions like asylum.
It also further restricts undocumented people who cannot prove satisfactory medical and criminal histories.
'Remain in Mexico' programme reinstated
Another executive order has restarted the 'Remain in Mexico' programme, which requires non-Mexican asylum seekers to await their US hearing dates inside Mexican territory.
During his speech, Trump ordered that military officers warden the border between the US and Mexico, and ruled that migrants can no longer make advance appointments with border officials.
The Mexican government is preparing for thousands of deportees it expects to arrive from the US in the coming weeks.
Topics: Donald Trump, Selena Gomez, US News, Politics, News, World News
Rhianna Benson